Wednesday, December 31, 2008

The presents have been unwrapped, the stockings have been emptied. And, the winners this year in our house are the wooden toys!

My preschool daughter received a Melissa and Doug Gleeful Garden Wooden Bead Set from Santa and has since spent hours and hours making beautiful necklaces for all the family members and then disassembling them and making more. This is by far her favorite gift (and maybe the least expensive one, too). Who would have guessed?

Santa brought the little guy a Rainbow People Mover from North Star Toys and he has enjoyed pushing it around the house, making the vroom sound and tossing the colorful people out of their seats. (His sister has tried to steal the toy several times, too. She likes to sort and count the people and drive them to pretend destinations.) North Star Toys (www.northstartoys.com) is a great source for simple, non-toxic, American-made wooden toys. I won ours from a blog contest at 3 P's Mama Says, but will be keeping the company in mind for future baby gifts.

Tuesday, December 30, 2008

One can never have too many books. At least that's my belief! There are some great end-of-the-year deals going on right now if you take the time to do a little searching. Temptation! Temptation! Here are a few that caught my eye (bet you can do even better):

Monday, December 29, 2008

Please check out my other "Full to the Brim" posts as well. Many contests are still underway. I publish "Full to the Brim" every Monday and Friday. During the week of New Years, it will be published on Monday only. Thanks for visiting my blog and come back soon!

Wednesday, December 24, 2008

Luke 2:10-11 (King James Version)"And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord."

Merry Christmas to you from our family at Brimful Curiosities. (Angel painting by my preschool daughter.)

Tuesday, December 23, 2008

I love a good Christmas movie. My favorite isn't one of the more famous ones. It is the little known The Shop Around the Corner starring Jimmy Stewart. It's airing tonight on TCM! There are number of good movies on TV in the next few days. I've prepared a partial list of Christmas specials so you don't miss your favorite! All times are EST so you'll have to adjust accordingly.

Please check out my other "Full to the Brim" posts as well. Many contests are still underway. I publish "Full to the Brim" every Monday and Friday. During the week of Christmas, it will be published on Tuesday only. Thanks for visiting my blog and come back soon!

Monday, December 22, 2008

"Stories are light. Light is precious in a world so dark." - The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo

The movie, The Tale of Despereaux, just opened in theatres this weekend. Behind the movie is the 2004 Newbery award winning book by the same title written by acclaimed author Kate DiCamillo. If you or your children have not read the The Tale of Despereaux yet, I encourage you to do so. It is a wonderful book that deserves to be read.

For the record, I am not a big fan of mice. I dislike rodents. This is one of the reasons that I have cats. But, there are exceptions. Despereaux is one of them. It is hard not to like a sickly little mouse with obscenely large ears that loves music, stories, and princesses. It is even harder not to fall in love with this unlikely hero - one brave little mouse, the knight with a shining needle.

Divided into four books, The Tale of Despereaux tells the intertwined stories of it's main characters, Despereaux Tilling, Chiaroscuro (Roscuro) and Miggery Sow. Despereaux is an outcast in the mouse world. He breaks mouse laws by befriending and loving the Princess Pea. For this he is banished to the dark dungeon. Roscuro (the light-loving, dungeon-dwelling rat) and the beautiful Princess Pea despise each other due to an unfortunate incidence involving soup. Because of this, Roscuro seeks revenge against the princess. His accomplice, Miggery Sow is a slow, abused little girl who unwittingly gets pulled into his terrible plot. It is up to Despereaux, the brave little mouse with a big heart to set things right and bring about a happily ever after.

The deeply engaging book works as a great read-aloud and is often used as a teaching tool in elementary schools. There is much to ponder and discuss, from the use of light and dark in relation to good and evil to the unusual vocabulary terms like "perfidy." The characters experience a gamut of feelings, from hatred to forgiveness. Children's books don't get much better. The black and white illustrations throughout by Timothy Basil Ering help bring a vintage, fairy-tale quality to the book. However, the book is correctly marketed for children ages 7–12 and is not for younger children. The character Miggery Sow experiences violent handling, and the book has many dark moments that made me, even as an adult, incredibly sad. I will not be reading this one to my preschooler but eagerly wait the future when she is ready for a story such as this.

Win your own hardcover copy! Candlewick Press has kindly offered to sponsor a giveaway. One (1) Brimful Curiosities reader will receive a hardcover copy of the original The Tale of Despereaux.

To enter, visit the Candlewick Press -Despereaux page and leave a comment letting me know which other Despereaux related book looks interesting.

• For contact purposes, if you are a non-blogger or your email is not accessible in your blog profile, please leave a valid email address within the comment section. • Contest is open to US only • Contest ends on Wednesday, January 7, 2008 at 11:59 PM CST.• Winner will be chosen at random

Three ways to gain extra entries (Maximum total entries is 4):1st extra entry: Follow Me! or subscribe by email or RSS reader2nd extra entry: Blog about this contest then post your link in the comment section.3rd extra entry: Follow me on twitter (iambrimful) and tweet about the contest.

Christmas is only days away. With this comes a few one-time changes. My Monday "Full to the Brim" Post will be published on Tuesday 12/23/08 this week. Confusing? Sorry. There will also be no Friday "Full to the Brim" post so that I can enjoy Christmas celebrations with my family. I will be taking a small blogging break over the holidays. Posts will be few and far between. Never fear though. I will be back after the new year with more posts, reviews and giveaways.

An early Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all my readers! This year I am especially thankful for God’s blessings: friends, family, home, health and happiness. May Christ’s birth be at the heart of your Christmas celebration. And, thanks so much for visiting the Brimful Curiosities blog.

Thursday, December 18, 2008

My daughter is only in preschool but she will be attending regular school before I know it. Quite frankly, I'm a little concerned about the pressures she will face as she starts school, both social and academic. I'm also concerned about the influences that she will come across. It seems the world is a bit different now than it was when I was a kid.

I'm not alone. According to research conducted by BSM Media, "93% of moms feel that young girls today are being pressured to grow up too fast and 73% view the majority of dolls, games, shows and websites targeted at little girls as too sexy or inappropriate for their daughters."

In response, Precious Moments has just recently launched the Precious Girls Club, a whole new faith-based brand for young girls. Meant for ages 4-10, the Precious Girls Club includes a series of books, a virtual online world, and a merchandise.

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The Precious Girls Club centers around a series of chapter books. A Little Bit of Faith is the first book in the series. The main character in the series is a girl named Katie Bennett who has just recently moved to a fictional town called Shine, Wisconsin. Katie has a unique snowglobe that houses Faith, her own special guardian angel. With help from her guardian angel and her family, Katie overcomes the challenges she faces as a newcomer at school. She makes new friends and forms a club called "The Precious Girls Club." She also learns to trust and have faith in God.

A Little Bit of Faith by Cindy Kenney is well-written, divided into nine chapters and includes a few illustrations. I was pleasantly surprised to see it set in Wisconsin! I think it might be a bit advanced for the average 4-5 year-old but early grade-schoolers will enjoy it. More books in this faith-based series are scheduled to be released next year.

The virtual website at www.preciousgirlsclub.com is a special world where girls can create an avatar, explore the town, decorate their own room, socialize in a safe environment and more. Many parts of the website are free, although a premium Rainbow membership is required to access exclusive features. Though I wish the whole website was free, it is nice that a portion of the dues is donated to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. Mothers are able to interact with their daughter through a parent's page. Related charms, figurines and plush dolls are available for purchase online at www.preciousmoments.com and through select stores.

The YouTube video below describes the virtual world and products in more detail:

As a reader of my blog you are entitled to a free premium month of membership on the website. Visit www.preciousgirlsclub.com and enter code 8137-KTQ1-NZCG.

• For contact purposes, if you are a non-blogger or your email is not accessible in your blog profile, please leave a valid email address within the comment section. • Contest is open to US only • Contest ends on Wednesday, December 31, 2008 at 11:59 PM CST.• Winner will be chosen at random

Three ways to gain extra entries (Maximum total entries is 4):1st extra entry: Follow Me! or subscribe by email or RSS reader2nd extra entry: Blog about this contest then post your link in the comment section.3rd extra entry: Follow me on twitter (iambrimful) and tweet about the contest.

The Winners of the Toot & Puddle Christmas Book are Comment #15 kpmomma, Comment #16 adennispac, Comment #32 Steph, Comment #48 Staci, and Comment #55 Shannon "Coupon Princess". If you are Steph, please notify me within 48 hours as I do not have your email. Otherwise a new winner will be chosen.

The Winners of the WordWorld Giveaway are:WordWorld Bucket Set - Barn goes to Ashley with her suggestion about doctors and nurses. WordWorld Holiday Episode Screener DVD goes to The Jacobsen Family! with their alligator suggestion.

Tuesday, December 16, 2008

"To your children, your voice, spoken, sung or whispered, will be the most comforting and beautiful music of all, and provide memories that will last well into their adulthoods." - The Peter Yarrow Songbook: Sleepytime Songs

The holiday season often evokes feelings of nostalgia. Memories of childhood permeate our souls. Music and singing played a large part in my life growing up. My mom was and still is organist at our small church. I think I sang my first solo when I was only 4 or 5 years old, and if I remember correctly, it was a Christmas song. When I was in grade school, my mom took lessons on the acoustic guitar. She played for sing-a-longs at the library, at church and during Girl Scout events. We sang mostly folk and traditional songs, and I learned many of them by heart. Those were the days, and I have many happy, fond memories.

The children's music world today is a booming business. The likes of Laurie Berkner, They Might Be Giants and other new artists have brought creativity and fun to the kid's music market. But the traditional folk music that has been around for generations still has a place in the home music collections as well. Peter Yarrow (of the 1960's band Peter, Paul and Mary) has just recently released two story songbooks titled The Peter Yarrow Songbook: Sleepytime Songs and The Peter Yarrow Songbook: Favorite Folk Songs. Following on the heels of his popular, bestselling Puff the Magic Dragon, these new songbooks are full of multi-generational musical gems.

We received a copy of The Peter Yarrow Songbook: Sleepytime Songs courtesy of Sterling Publishing. It is quite impressive and truly a great bargain. A whopper of an illustrated picture book, it includes a corresponding music CD in addition to guitar chord accompaniment diagrams and a section of historical facts about the songs in the back of the book. Twelve lullabies were chosen for the book and the lyrics to each of the songs have been beautifully illustrated by Terry Widener. Many of the illustrations include an image of a sleeping child. The CD is a pure folk recording, with Yarrow and his daughter, Bethany singing accompanied only by two acoustic guitars. Their voices blend wonderfully together in the comforting, lulling melodies. Songs included in both the book and CD are as follows:

Sunday, December 14, 2008

Babies, a book, and the VW Routan. Brooke Shields has been one busy mama! Shields, who is the mother to daughters Rowan and Grier, published her first children's book earlier this year titled, Welcome to Your World, Baby. Just lately, Volkswagen has featured her as the star of their "Routan Boom" commercials.

The newly released VW Routan seven-passenger minivan is Volkswagen's family addition to their vehicle line. If you watch any TV, I'm sure you've seen the commercial. The "Routan Boom" spot is a humorous spoof-documentary starring Brooke as a reporter who accuses parents-to-be for having babies just so they can own the new minivan. She tells them to, "have a baby for love, not for German engineering.” The commercials are ironically funny, so long as you take them lightly as they are meant to be viewed. If by chance you haven't seen them, I've included a YouTube compilation of the ads below:

The ads are unique but don't mention much vehicle specifics. The Volkswagen Routan was created with the family in mind. For the features and specs, visit www.vw.com/routan.

Want to have a little fun while visiting the website? Use the Babymaker 3000! Upload a picture of a mom and a dad and see the resulting combo-baby. Apparently, the image to the left is what one of my children is supposed to look like according to Babymaker 3000. Not bad, but I think my actual kids are cuter.

One other interesting fact: "Routan" is a combination of the English word "route" and the "-an" suffix that is used in the names of Volkswagen's European vans, so it's a literal combo of two engineering worlds, VW and Chrysler.

To enter, leave a comment letting me know what you like best about the Volkswagen Routan.

• For contact purposes, if you are a non-blogger or your email is not accessible in your blog profile, please leave a valid email address within the comment section. • Contest is open to US only • Contest ends on Friday, December 19, 2008 at 11:59 PM CST.• Winner will be chosen at random

Three ways to gain extra entries (Maximum total entries is 4):1st extra entry: Follow Me! or subscribe by email or RSS reader2nd extra entry: Blog about this contest then post your link in the comment section.3rd extra entry: Follow me on twitter (iambrimful) and tweet about the contest.

Saturday, December 13, 2008

Remember Mr. Heat Miser and Snow Miser? There's a new spin-off film now."A Miser Brothers' Christmas" premiers tonight at 8/7c on ABC Family. This new original special stars Heat Miser and Snow Miser as they come together to save Christmas.

Friday, December 12, 2008

Routine activities like grocery shopping provide the perfect opportunity for kids to learn new words and encourage early reading skills. You can show them letters on food labels and have them help with the grocery list. Hmmm...grocery list. Handwritten ones are great, but there's even a better way to make that list. Have you heard of the SmartShopper?

The SmartShopper is an electronic grocery list maker that uses voice recognition technology. The handy gadget sticks magnetically to the fridge so that grocery items can be added to the list at anytime. By simply pressing the record button and speaking the item's name, your list is easily updated, organized and always available. And, when you are ready to go shopping, the SmartShopper prints out your list, arranged into shopping categories to help make your shopping experience more efficient.

In this economy, one of the best ways to save money on groceries is to create an organized shopping list. The SmartShopper is perfect for me because it is readily available right in my kitchen and provides a fun, organized way of keeping track of my grocery items.

Here are my favorite features:• Mounts magnetically to refrigerator or also has wall-mount option • Uses four standard AA batteries (not some strange, expensive type)• Comes built with 2,500 Pre-loaded standard items in the "library"• You are easily able to add your own custom items• The coupon flagging feature marks items you want to buy using a coupon• At print-out it organizes items into categories like dairy and health & beauty• You can maintain multiple lists for different stores

Like any gadget, it does have a few quirks. The voice recognition works best if used in a quiet location without a lot of background noise. The items that are stored in the library vary. Sometimes brand names are included, like Coke and Pepsi but sometimes you must use a generic label like diapers (instead of Pampers or Huggies.) I was surprised the library didn't include a few standard items in my kitchen like freezer paper or cooking sherry (it uses the term cooking wine instead) although those were easy enough to add myself.

While the device is great as is, it would be amazing if it included a computer interface so that you could add items to the library using the computer and print lists from your computer, a cheaper way than buying the special paper rolls. One of my friends would also love to see a way for it to print pictures along with the food so that young kids could follow the list at the store. I'd also like to see rechargeable batteries included with the product or some sort of solar power used. Maybe we'll see some features like these added in the future?

This time of year Santa is making his list and checking it twice. Wonder what he'd think of the SmartShopper gadget? It's probably already on his own personal wish list! Is it on yours? What a great way to start the new year off with a little organization!

Order your SmartShopper today for only $79.99! Use the exclusive promo code: PW59391 until December 31 to receive $5 off your order. Also, all orders placed between now and December 31 will receive free ground shipping (although be sure to order before December 18, if you want the SmartShopper by Christmas).

Win it! SmartShopper has kindly offered to sponsor a giveaway. One (1) of my readers will receive their own SmartShopper!

To enter, leave a comment letting me know what you think you'd like best about SmartShopper.

• For contact purposes, if you are a non-blogger or your email is not accessible in your blog profile, please leave a valid email address within the comment section. • Contest is open to US only • Contest ends on Wednesday, December 31, 2008 at 11:59 PM CST.• Winner will be chosen at random

Three ways to gain extra entries (Maximum total entries is 4):1st extra entry: Follow Me! or subscribe by email or RSS reader2nd extra entry: Blog about this contest then post your link in the comment section.3rd extra entry: Follow me on twitter and tweet about the contest.

Thursday, December 11, 2008

It's the time of the year when the "best of" lists start popping up all over. Here are a couple I have stumbled upon lately. If you are looking for a good read or listen, chances are you'll find something in one of these lists!

Wednesday, December 10, 2008

This is what happens when you let your children play with the Christmas decorations. We've been missing one of the snowman's heads since last Christmas on our wooden nesting doll set (the Russian word is matryoshka).

I really, really need to start writing out my Christmas cards. A couple of years ago, I found a few boxes of Christmas cards illustrated by Holly Hobbie to send out. I love her adorable illustrations and all of her books. This Christmas, though, it looks like I could use Puddle's help (from the Toot & Puddle picture books) to get my cards out in time!

In Toot & Puddle: I'll Be Home for Christmas, Puddle is home in Woodcock Pocket trying to prepare for Christmas without Toot. Christmas is only a couple days away and poor Toot's flight home is delayed in Edinburgh because of an ice storm. Puddle writes out the Christmas cards but can't mail them without Toot's signature. He bakes and brings home a Christmas tree, all the while worrying that Toot won't make it home for Christmas. When Toot's flight finally lands, heavy snows make it nearly impossible to find his way home...that is until a lucky nut and a mysterious stranger help save the day.

As always, Holly Hobbie's watercolor illustrations steal the show. The winter snow scene pictures help set the holiday mood perfectly. I also adore the large, two-page airplane illustration where Toot is singing Jingle Bells. The back of the paperback book includes two punch-out Toot & Puddle ornaments to hang on your tree. Toot & Puddle fans will surely enjoy this book as well as all preschoolers though early grade school readers. This large-size, paperback reprint edition is printed on quality paper and would make an excellent holiday gift!

As a side note, if you are lucky enough to get the Noggin Channel, they started airing a new original animated series starring Toot & Puddle in November. Toot & Puddle follows a pair of best friends who travel the world and find adventure wherever they go. Tune in Sunday, 12/14/08 for "I'll Be Home for Christmas" @ 7PM ET.

To enter, let me know the title of your favorite Christmas or snow related children's book in the comment section.

• For contact purposes, if you are a non-blogger or your email is not accessible in your blog profile, please leave a valid email address within the comment section. • Contest is open to US only • Contest ends on Tuesday, December 16, 2008 at 11:59 PM CST.• Winners will be chosen at random

Three ways to gain extra entries (Maximum total entries is 4):1st extra entry: Follow Me! or subscribe by email or RSS reader2nd extra entry: Blog about this contest then post your link in the comment section.3rd extra entry: Follow me on twitter and tweet about the contest.

Kohl's is a great Wisconsin-based company. Check out their 25 Deals of Christmas. A new deal is revealed every day! Grab this for your blog and keep up with each new deal. Thank you to The Full Mommy for mentioning the widget. Enter her contest to win a $25 Gift Card to Kohl's.

Monday, December 8, 2008

Toys ‘R’ Us has a "Hot Holiday Toy Giveaway" sweepstakes promotion going on from Friday, December 5, 2008 to Sunday, December 14, 2008 (ends 11:59:59 PM ET). You can play once per day and will will receive one (1) Sweepstakes entry and one (1) Instant Win Game Play. Tell-a-friend at the end of the instant win game and you will receive up to (5) extra sweepstakes entries.

A total of four hundred (400) Instant Win Game Prizes will be awarded during the Promotion Period.

"Ruble studied the round package carefully ... She hadn't really expected to receive the expensive, store-bought doll for Christmas, and now she understood that she didn't need it. Looking around at the smiling faces of her family as they waited for her to open her gift, she realized she was already perfectly happy." - Cole Family Christmas by Jennifer Liu Bryan with Hazel Cole Kendle

Nine children, one snowy Christmas, a goat named Hilda and two loving parents are the subjects in Cole Family Christmas, the perfect story to read-aloud and enjoy together as a family this Christmas. Based on actual events, the heartwarming story is set in the year 1920 in a small Kentucky mining town called Benham. Times are a little tough but love pulls the large mining family together one Christmas. Though they live a simple, non-extravagant life, the children still excitedly prepare for Christmas by paging through the Sears catalogue wish book and writing letters to Santa. They joyfully attend the company Christmas party, a very special event filled with festivities like singing and eating a big feast. But, Christmas doesn't go off exactly as planned. A bitter snowstorm changes everything, and the children learn that the best gifts aren't always the ones we ask for.

Reading the Cole Family Christmas is like combing for treasures in a beloved antique store. Images of times past are brought to life in the book's wonderful, descriptive passages and in the beautiful illustrations by Jenniffer Julich. Based on family members' recollections, the story was written down on paper by two amazing women, Hazel Cole Kendle (the youngest member of the Cole family) and Jennifer Liu Bryan, her granddaughter-in-law. The story is told through the eyes of Hazel's sister, Ruble, who was the storyteller of their family. Though the story takes place nearly a century ago, the poignant message still rings true today, particularly in this difficult economy we are currently experiencing. The nine-chapter book is marketed for children ages 9 to 12, but it works as a read-aloud for younger children. I plan on sharing the story with my own grandparents. They grew up during similar times and will have a special appreciation for the events described in the book.

Because I grew up in an area with a rich mining history, I especially enjoyed reading about the life and struggles that the mining families faced. Additionally, as a mother, I appreciated the strength and patience shown by Mama Cole. I also have a great interest in genealogy and preserving family legacies. After reading Cole Family Christmas hopefully others, like me, will be encouraged to record and discuss their own family histories. Create some new memories this Christmas by reading this wonderful book with your family and then take the time to write down and preserve one of your own special stories!

Related links:colefamily-christmas.com - The Cole Family Christmas website features reviews, Christmas tag printables, news and events, and information on the authors. ReadAloud.org - Hilda, the goat from Cole Family Christmas is the "spokesgoat" for ReadAloud.org. Learn more about Hilda and the Read Aloud Campaign on the website.

To enter, visit ReadAloud.org and leave a comment here telling me the title of one book you personally like to read-aloud.

• For contact purposes, if you are a non-blogger or your email is not accessible in your blog profile, please leave a valid email address within the comment section.• Contest is open to US only • Contest ends on Monday, December 15, 2008 at 11:59 PM CST.• Winner will be chosen at random and contacted by email.

Two ways to gain extra entries:1st extra entry: Follow Me! or subscribe by email or RSS reader2nd extra entry: Blog about this contest then post your link in the comment section.

About Me

Brimful Curiosities is a mom blog/book blog featuring reviews and posts on children's books, music, educational products, toys and more. It's home to the weekly "Full to the Brim" Kid's Book Giveaway List. Occasionally it includes non-children related product and book reviews and personal postings.